Run, Sea Turtle, Run

Run, Sea Turtle, Run: A Hatchling's Journey
by Stephen R. Swinburne
32 pages; ages 4 - 9
Millbrook Press, 2020

theme: animals, nature, growing up

Can you hear me? Scritch, scratch.

Told from a sea turtle’s point of view, we see the turtle hatch. We follow her while she and her siblings dig through the sand. And we watch her scoot, scurry, and dash to the ocean. Someday, that sea turtle will return – to lay eggs of her own.

What I like about this book: I love the language and all those verbs: climb, crawl, scoot, dash … fly! Yes, sea turtles fly – at least that’s what it looks like underwater.

I love the photos. They take you so close to sea turtle hatchlings that you can see individual grains of sand clinging to their shells and faces. And those faces – so cute!

And – there is Back Matter! Author Steve Swinburne includes additional information about the sea turtle’s life cycle and six ways you can help sea turtles. There are also book- and website- suggestions for curious young naturalists.

This is Steve’s third book about sea turtles, so I had to ask him One Question:

Archimedes: Why did you decide to write this book in first person, from the turtle’s point of view?

Steve: I guess I just can’t get enough of these amazing critters. I was inspired by Guillaume Feuillet’s up-close and personal photographs of leatherback hatchlings breaking free of the nest and dashing to the sea. He was in the right place at the right time. As you know, most hatchlings get down to the sea under the cover of darkness because there are fewer predators. How fortunate he was able to take these photographs in such beautiful light.

As the bulk of the images are very tight shots of the hatchlings, the text felt like it had to be in first person. I wanted the hatchling making the journey to tell the story, to tell their story. By choosing first person POV, I think the reader comes along on the hatchling’s journey. I rely on active verbs to show the journey: “I scoot and scurry” “I smell the salty breeze” “I wriggle into the sea”

I also wanted this to be a great read-aloud. I can almost imagine a teacher reading the book to a class of 1st graders. I’m hoping the text and photographs hooks them right into the story, the beginning, middle and end.

Beyond the Books:

Learn more about Leatherback sea turtles here.

Steve doesn’t just write books about turtles, he sings about them. Check out this tune over at You Tube.

Write a story, draw a picture, or make up a song about a wild animal you care about.

Steve is a member of #STEAMTeam2020. You can find out more about him at his website.

Today we're joining Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Explore Outdoors ~ What's left of the flowers?

Once the blooms have faded, petals dried and fallen, we forget about the flowers. As fall turned to winter, I watched birds land on the bare monarda and other flower heads. With a pick and a peck, they snagged a seed and flew off.

Later, the empty heads filled with snow. As sun warmed and melted the snow, the flowerheads trapped droplets, which froze overnight. Suddenly all the flowers were decked out in winter hats...

What's left of the flowers where you live?

This year I'm encouraging everyone to spend 1,000 hours outdoors. So on Wednesday I'll be posting ideas for nature breaks, field trips, and outdoor play. The goal: to have fun!

Teachers and homeschoolers who want to use nature breaks as field trips can grab a sketchbook or journal, something to draw and write with, and some watercolors, colored pencils, crayons, or markers. Think cross-curricular: art, language, science, math, engineering, movement, exercise! And come back Friday for some STEM book-talk.

Wood, Wire, Wings!

Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane 
by Kirsten W. Larson; illus, by Tracy Subisak
48 pages; ages 7 - 10
Calkins Creek, 2020

theme: flight, invention, women in science

To Emma Lilian Todd, problems were like gusts of wind: they set her mind soaring.

Lilian grew up in a family of innovators, during the golden age of invention. While Grandpa worked on a carriage wheel, Lilian created her own things: a weather vane from a broken toy. She took things apart and put them back together – and sometimes they never worked quite right afterwards…

But invention wasn’t for women. So Lilian took a job at the U.S. Patent Office, typing up other people’s inventions. Fascinated by plans for flying machines, she built models and tested them. The designs weren’t very practical. So Lilian decided to build her own airplane.

What I like about this book: I like that Kirsten shows the journey from idea to success is not a straight line. When Lilian tests her first designs – they crash. Failure! But Lilian persisted. She knew she was on to something. I like how Kirsten includes the practical side of invention: Lilian needs space and money to construct a plane. Finally she gets it built, fires up the engine and … goes nowhere. Failure! But now Lilian knows what went wrong. All she needs is a better engine – one she’ll have to wait for a year to get.

I like the back matter: an author’s note about inventions and more about Lilian Todd, a timeline of flying machines, historic photos, and sources for readers who want to deep dive into more history about planes.

One Question for Kirsten:

Archimedes: What inspired you to write this story?

Kirsten: One of my StoryStorm ideas was “Rosie the Riveter.” I went through my story ideas in early 2014, and checked out a slew of books on the topic, including Rosie Revere, Engineer, by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts. The name of Lilian Todd and a note that she was the first female airplane designer appeared in one of David’s illustrations. Though I’d lived and worked around airplanes my whole life, I’d never heard of Lilian. Neither had my husband, who’s a test pilot and aviation history buff. I knew Lilian’s story was one I needed to tell.

Thank you, Kirsten. Kirsten is a member of #STEAMTeam2020 - find out more about her at her website.

Beyond the Books:

Read about Lilian and four other women who helped push the aviation industry forward

Check out some photos of Lilian’s airplane here.

Download an educators guide from Kirsten Larson's website.

We’ll join Perfect Picture Book Friday in a couple weeks -  once the Valentine story contest ends. PPBF is a gathering of bloggers who share their reviews of picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.